What are 5 Digital Assets Worth Investing In?

There is something special about buying your new first home. You are handed the keys and you walk in the front door and it is yours. It is almost visceral.

The smell of the paint, the feel of the carpet under your feet and the vision of how you are going to furnish and style the rooms is enticing.

The senses are engaged and it is your new asset.

Opening your own fashion store, cafe or restaurant is also a dream for many. The planning, the imagining and the creation of a place where customers will love to visit is a temptation that leads to large investments of time and money. The lease is signed often with a commitment for 5 years. The shop design and fit-out is arranged and deposits taken. It is not uncommon to for $100,000 -$200,000 to transfer out of your account into the hands of the landlord, suppliers and contractors.

It is a big risk. Will the location work? Are the customers going to buy.

It is your bricks and mortar retail asset.

It is a Digital World

When it comes to the online world we often think that because your can’t see, touch or feel the furnishings or furniture that it doesn’t deserve the attention and investment of the physical.

We are wired to be sensory creatures and the feel of a physical planet. The evolution, customs and culture of millenia is embedded.

The need and want for real physical assets is hardwired by time.

In an increasingly digital world and fast evolving knowledge economy, we need to adjust our thinking and priorities regarding where we invest our time and money.

If you are looking for a job your online presence needs to be professional and clear and a presence on LinkedIn is mandatory.

As a bricks and mortar retailer having an online channel to market should not be ignored. Just as people want to consume content in multiple ways, today’s consumer wants the convenience to buy online when and where they feel like it. It could be on a train while browsing on the iPad. It could be as they wait for a friend while surfing with their mobile phone.

Authors need books in print and ebook digital formats. Publications need to be on Amazon and Apple

Convenience and immediacy are making us mobile impulse buyers.

It is time to invest in our digital assets with the attention and investment that the 21st century demands.

What are 5 Online Assets Worth Building?

In a digital world here are 5 essential online assets that should be built and optimized.

1. Website/Blog

A business owner or a professional services consultant cannot be seen as serious player in their industry unless they have a website or a blog. If you are not visible on Google then you are often perceived as a nobody.

Secure your domain name, arrange the hosting and buy the content management system or template such as WordPress to present your content to the 2.5 billion online netizens.

Make this your digital hub and home.

2. Online Store

Bricks and mortar retailers cannot rely anymore on shoe and leather customers just walking in the door. As technology and eCommerce software matures, the cost of creating a serious online option for your customers should be part of your multiple channels to market. You are no longer just competing with the shop across the street. Amazon and your competitors on another continent are now only one click away.

3. Mobile

Lat year nearly 500 million smart phones landed in the palms of your potential customers. This addiction to a web connected computer in your pocket is not going away any time soon. Mobile devices having been outselling laptops and desktops since 2010. Building apps and websites that are able to be easily viewed on mobile screens is an asset that needs to be built sooner rather than later.

4. Social

Generation “Internet” (children that have grown up with the web in their DNA) often don’t leave the Facebook ecosystem. On the social web your customers are looking for you on the social media channels. It could be

LinkedIn – If you’re a knowledge professional

YouTube – Consumer brands, professionals, B2B. In fact anyone and any business

Slideshare – Knowledge workers who are the brand evangelist and present or speak then join up to the YouTube for Powerpoint

Facebook – At nearly 1 billion users this is the place to start.

Twitter – Want to share in an instant with 140 characters and a link where over 500 million global users spend some time

Google+ – A passionate tribe over 250 million hangout here

Pinterest – If your content is in an any way visual you should be playing in this social media sand box

These are some of the channels you need to secure and brand with your presence. Choose the ones where most of your customers hang out.

Keep in mind though that you are have a presence here within the constraints and terms and conditions of the social network landlord.

5. Content

In a knowledge economy your content defines you.

Content is the foundation of your online presence. Content is any digital information that can be built and shared online. It can be created or curated. A lot of content is hidden offline. Take the content that is hidden on hard disks and filing cabinets and make it visible to the search engines. Build content that is contagious and begs to be shared. Tempt readers with captivating headlines. Structure content that is easily read with fonts that sizeable and friendly to the eye.

Online stores require high definition photos that reveal your products in all their glory.

What About You

What assets are important to your business and brand? Are you paying enough attention to your online assets.

Great Article, jeff! As a new business owner, I guess I would like to know your opinion – are these digital assets enough for someone just starting out? What importance do you assign to having a brick and mortar establishment, especially if your services are mostly knowledge based and are administered over the internet?

Love to have your opinion, as always!

Thanks.

http://jeffbullas.com Jeff Bullas

If you are mainlya knowledge based business then owning an office might be a luxury and cost you could do without.

Brendon Miskell

A good article Jeff, pleased to hear the book is coming out and that you have now clarified you are measuring just “page hits” and not unique readers per month as implied previously which is considered the normal readership standard which is what was confusing – Brendon

Guest

I think domain names and code are 2 very important digital assets. A lot of the larger players buy up great domain names and patent their websites code. Especially in the marketing arena.

writing service

It is also as important to have a strategy for
making connections with your customers on the web as it is offline.
Establishing a plan for collecting e-mail addresses and mobile phone numbers
from customers so that you can continue to advertise to them after they make a
purchase will build the most valuable digital assets that many businesses will
have.

http://jeffbullas.com Jeff Bullas

Those are valuable additions to the list. Auditors certainly ascribe an asset valuation to an email database.

Someone mentioned the database, I’d highlight SEO as maybe 1.5 or even asset #6. It’s so key, connects w/ mobile, social, content. Glad you mentioned photos; so much content is visual. Very much worth investing in pictures and videos that communicate your story.. and those pics, videos can be keyword, search friendly as well. And as much as social matters, YOUR website and blog are your hub, your online storefront no matter what kind of business you run.

Other assets.. network and knowledge. Invest time in people, relationships; and learning enough about the tools, the tech stuff that make these assets worth something to your business. FWIW.

http://learnit2earnitwithlynn.com Lynn Brown

All great points Jeff! This is the digital and visual age so I would add video not only for the social aspect but for SEO and branding purposes as well. I find that my About page with my video has pulled in as much if not more hits and sign ups than my home page.

http://www.Empower2Go.com Martin Casper

Great article Lynn! You have brought out some great points, but I really believe social proof. When it comes right down to it, all we have to really market is our reputation. People want to do business with those they trust and like.

http://www.Empower2Go.com Martin Casper

Great article…I like all the points discussed, but what really strikes me is social proof. When it comes right down to it, all we have to market is our reputation.